I have an application that was linked with a static library. I would like to relink that executable with a new version of the static library, but without respecifying everything else that went into the application. I have tried placing the new library both before & after the exec name, but the generated map shows that "ld" used the libbrary from prog_old.

> ld -o prog_new libnew.a prog_old -M --cref

> ld -o prog_new prog_old libnew.a -M --cref

I've read the "ld" MAN pages and browsed through the "ld" info, but cannot find anything on how to do that. I also browsed around on the web, and though I found quite a number of "how-to" documents on linking applications, most of them are more geared to shared libraries, than to static libraries.

Is this possible with the Linux "ld" command?

Thanks,
Bev in TX

If prog_old is a statically linked executable, so with all symbols resolved, why would the linker even bother to look at the new library? Do prog_new and prog_old differ at all?

Since libnew.a differs from the original static library, yes, prog_old and prog_new do differ.

I used to be able to do this a long time ago on IBM's AIX OS, so I thought it might be possible on Linux. From what you said, it sounds like we cannot do that on Linux.

Thanks,
Bev in TX

I wouldn't take it as the word of authority on this You could try asking in the programming section where they might have some more hardcore knowledge.

I'm new to these forums (I've had an ID for a while, but never used it). I don't see one that is explicitly called "Programming". To exactly which forum are you referring?

Thanks,
Bev in TX

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/programming-9/

(but I see now it's not Linux specific). What you are asking for sounds like something that might be useful in a commercial closed-source environment. I just never heard of it in a linux context.

I'm going to close down this thread.

Please continue this conversation here.

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